WaPo poll results challenge politically correct prejudice v. guns

A Washington Post-ABC News poll published yesterday regarding gay rights includes a revelation that may challenge anti-gun groups to explain their politically correct prejudice against gun owners that Moms Demand Action (MDA) practiced yesterday in Massachusetts and recently in Seattle.

According to the WaPo-ABC poll, a whopping 81 percent of respondents said businesses should not be allowed to refuse service to gays and lesbians and 65 percent said this should be the case even if the business owner has a religious objection.

Contrast that with yesterday’s reported attempt by an MDA group in Framingham, Mass., to force Staples to refuse business to legally-armed citizens. They came with a petition bearing a reported 12,000 signatures, but according to the Framingham Patch, they were “asked to leave the property.” Another MDA chapter in Seattle wants the public library to prohibit armed citizens from using library facilities.

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Update: Facebook today announced “a series of new educational and enforcement efforts for people discussing the private sale of regulated items” and the MDA is taking credit for this change:

Any time we receive a report on Facebook about a post promoting the private sale of a commonly regulated item, we will send a message to that person reminding him or her to comply with relevant laws and regulations. We will also limit access to that post to people over the age of 18.

We will require Pages that are primarily used by people to promote the private sale of commonly regulated goods or services to include language that clearly reminds people of the importance of understanding and complying with relevant laws and regulations, and limit access to people over the age of 18 or older if required by applicable law.

We will provide special in-app education on Instagram for those who search for sales or promotions of firearms.

"The NRA enjoys 150 times more support on Facebook than Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns. That’s why Bloomberg and the gun control groups he funds tried to pressure Facebook into shutting down discussion of Second Amendment issues on its social media platforms. Bloomberg failed. NRA members and our supporters will continue to have a platform to exercise their First Amendment rights in support of their Second Amendment freedoms." – Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA Institute for Legislative Action.

"Facebook today acted to provide clarification to its policies on postings concerning firearms and agreed to provide educational messaging on its platform. We are in agreement that all applicable laws should be observed in the private transfer of firearms. We would have welcomed the opportunity to provide our industry’s perspective, however, and regret that we were not consulted. Facebook’s clarification will not affect the lawful commerce in firearm and ammunition products for NSSF members and their customers."—NSSF

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Gun owners appear to be the only group against whom it is still fashionable to practice social prejudice. Several days ago in Pennsylvania, State Rep. Ronald G. Waters proposed a “sensible” gun law that would include “detailed, regular mental health evaluations for gun owners and potential gun buyers and similar evaluations for family members who share residency…” National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea discusses that proposal here.

In state after state where concealed carry reform laws have been adopted, anti-gun groups have pleaded with, cajoled or bullied businesses to refuse service to legally-armed citizens. As this column reported several times last year, former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, in cooperation with Washington CeaseFire, recruited businesses in the Jet City to become so-called “gun-free zones.” Substitute the word “gay” for “gun” and see how far that would go before angry demonstrators appeared outside the door.

Far left gun prohibitionists invariably fail to see the hypocrisy in their actions, so it might be educational for them to chat up this double standard with members of the Pink Pistols, a small but active group of gay firearms owners. There are chapters in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Portland.

At the end of the day, one may be forced to consider whether there is really any difference between homophobia and hoplophobia.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Times and Associated Press this morning are reporting that Unilever, the parent company of Dove, the popular bath soap, is pulling its billboard advertisement in New Jersey that referred to the Garden State as “the armpit of America.” Apparently, New Jersey residents objected.

The advertisement was rather tongue-in-cheek, and according to the story, it read, “Dear New Jersey, When people call you ‘The Armpit of America,’ take it as a compliment. Sincerely, Dove.”

New Jersey is one of a handful of states that has adopted such draconian gun laws that some people have been compelled to file federal lawsuits, including Drake v. Jerejian, which is seeking review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The state has a history of prosecuting, and to some extent, persecuting, gun owners and the Drake case challenges the state's arbitrary and prohibitive concealed carry permitting scheme. No amount of soap can wash away that reputation.

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Dave Workman is an author, senior editor at TheGunMag.com, communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, award-winning outdoor writer, former member of the NRA Board of Directors and recognized expert on Washington State gun laws.